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WSM 18.5...REALLY Wish I'd Gone Bigger..

castlepines

castlepines

is Blowin Smoke!
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So I bought the WSM 18.5 a couple months ago after debating which size to get, asking the usual questions and picturing the various scenarios for its use. For our needs the 18.5 seemed fine, and it has been for the most part.

Fast forward to yesterday...it's the boy's birthday, and on the kids' birthday they can have whatever they want for their birthday dinner. The boy says he wants ribs, so ribs it is. We had some friends and family coming over so I prepared 3 racks of spares for everyone along with some smoked cheesy potatoes. It was painful and not ideal.

I have a rib rack so I used the top grate for the 3. Even with the rack I still had to bend a couple of the ribs to fit on the top. And when I got the color I wanted and foiled? Forget it. They wouldn't fit in the rack and I had to lean the three on one another while I cooked the potatoes on the bottom grate. Kind of aggravating, really.

The deciding factor for me in choosing the size was fuel usage. Yes, you will use more fuel with the 22.5, but getting a smaller ring would help for the smaller cooks, and the 400 pounds of Kingsford that I got on sale for $50 at HD during their big sale a bit ago makes it even easier to tolerate more fuel usage. In all, I really wish I would have gotten the bigger size. It would really save some agvravation and offer more choices for more tyoes of cooks.
 
They all have a purpose i think. I have a UDS which i love but it doesn't get used a whole lot. My mini gets used more because it's so darn handy and efficient. I also built a Jimmy (WSM 18 " mini) and that'll get used more than the UDS also.

They all have uses so it's nice to have multiple sizes. Build a UDS so you have the bigger capacity when you need it. Check out Big Poppa Drums...they are great and also sear/grill. Nothing wrong with multiple tools, nobody says you can only have one!
 
Just look at it as a reason to buy more cookers. :thumb:
 
Yup what they said. And this was proof to the wife that you do need more cookers :mrgreen:
 
O-right more cookers. You can definitely build a UDS. But if you are like me, not having time and as well having two left feet and two left hands than you can always go do PBC route. You can hang 8 rack of ribs without a problem and you would hardly use any charcoal.
 
BBQDaddio said:
O-right more cookers. You can definitely build a UDS. But if you are like me, not having time and as well having two left feet and two left hands than you can always go do PBC route. You can hang 8 rack of ribs without a problem and you would hardly use any charcoal.
Click to expand...
Daddy if you can operate a drill that you could build a Big Poppa...takes zero skills
 
Yeah, I've thought about a UDS. I've thought about selling the 18.5 and buying the 22.5. But with what it would cost to do that I could build the UDS...and it would give me something to do when winter pays its annual visit. I'd actually rather have one cooker than two just to keep things simple. Then again if I were REALLY about simple I wouldn't have a cooker at all and would just make everything in the microwave, I suppose. ;)
 
Well, you should have listened to ME. Whenever that ques. is asked here, I STRONGLY suggest the 22.5! :-D

And just in case any lurkers are wondering which one to get, GET THE 22.5!!!!
 
I am betting when you asked for advice most said get the 22.5". Eh?
Having two or more smokers is not complicated you just pick the one that suits ur needs for the that cook - go ahead and get started on that UDS and keep the WSM. In fact drill four sets of holes on each side of that WS M add rebar and turn it into PBC and hang ur ribs next time :thumb:
 
10+ Cookers at a MINIMUM

Keep the 18.5 (I sold two when I bought my Pit Barrel Cooker). To me 30 gallon is perfect size. No drill skill needed. Just contact the folks and three days later I was barrel cooking.
 
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SmittyJonz said:
I am betting when you asked for advice most said get the 22.5". Eh?...
Click to expand...

Nah. I actually didn't ask which one to get. I researched all the threads and found all the reasons people pick one over the other and decided which ones applied to me given my mission. 90% of the time the 18.5 is great. A 50% increase in cost for only 10% of my cooks didn't seem worth it to me at the time. Now I'm rethinking it.
 
Multiple Cookers

Regardless of what you decide, not very many folks around here will rag on anyone for having a backyard filled up with cooking weapons.

Let's try your post a different way.

"I have an 18.5 and now I want to add a 22.5". All kinds of love and support would have flown your way. In fact it makes perfect sense. Go for it.
 
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I did the same thing, kinda. Bought the 18.5" about 2 months before the 22 came out. I knew it was coming, but thought that would be enough. I quickly realized that I wanted more space. Hemmed and Hawed about it, and this spring bought a 22. I now have both, and think I want something bigger next year! I'll have to build one to get something bigger, the wife thinks I have enough room, but if I build one, I'll need her brother's help, which she's ok with anything I do with him.
 
I started with a mini (to see if I enjoyed this hobby/passion) and I knew I would need more space. I built a UDS and while I was trying to find a barrel for it, I had a couple of 22in kettles that I used for space. I have since upgraded my OTG's to Performers (thanks to craigslist)

I use my UDS for big cooks and kettles for smoker cooks. If i need more space than a UDS, I use my kettles without any issue. Over Labor Day weekend I did over 110lbs of meat on a UDS, 2 performers, and a mini (2 15+lb brisket, 45lbs of pork butt, 7 slabs of ST. Louis cut ribs + rib tips, and 10lbs of chicken)

If you want more space use your kettle/grill if you have one. If you don't have a charcoal grill, I would personally get a 22in kettle or build a UDS and use the extra money you saved on meats instead of buying a 22in WSM.

You can get great results bbqing meats using a 22.5in kettle. I have done spatchcocked chicken, smoked wings, briskets, pork butts, ribs on my kettle that are just as good if not better than my UDS.
 
For some reason I always go for the bigger is better mantra. Just FYI, if you foil you don't need to put them in the rack. You can actually stack them if they are in foil and you won't see any difference. Another option on the 18.5 is you can roll them and use a bamboo skewer to save space and cook up a lot of racks. A lot of people cook ribs this way and they turn out great.
 
When I got my first 18.5" WSM and realized it was too small, I just bought another, and another, and another... well, you get the picture. I have plenty of room to cook now.

And really, there is no need to foil ribs. I do 6 St. Louis trimmed racks at a time in a rib rack on the top grate, even at comps. No foil. About 6 hours at 250 - 275 until probe tender.
 
I have a 18.5 and two 22.5. Wouldn't mind having another 18.5 It really depends on how much you want to cook at a at time. I use my 18.5 a lot more than my 22.5 when I am only cooking for the wife and myself. When I am feeding more than us, I use the 22.5.
 
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